


40. Fake

by maemusicmelody



Series: 100 KananaWoobys: prompt challenge [3]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Angst, F/F, Faking things is bad for the soul, Fluff and Angst, PAINNNN, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, communication is important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 15:18:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11717055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maemusicmelody/pseuds/maemusicmelody
Summary: Kanan and Ruby have been very happy with their relationship. So why all the fake smiles, fake laughs, and fake im fines?





	40. Fake

Ruby felt like the happiest girl alive with Kanan asked her to be hers. From early on in their childhood, Ruby had remembered having such a puppy crush on her sister's best friend. The bluenette was always there for her afterall, holding her hand whenever they were they walking outside of the house and protecting her from all the scary things that used to make her jump. She used to kiss her boo-boos better and tell her fun stories until she'd fall asleep. The small crush turned into something more, but something Ruby could never admit to.

It was Kanan, Dia and Mari's last year in middle school when Kanan decided to confess behind the courtyard where the sports teams were busy running around. Ruby didn't even hesistate to say yes, actually crying and the two shared their first kiss. She couldn't believe it. This was too good to be real.

"I wouldn't make up something like this, Ruby-chan. I've liked you for a long time." Kanan reassured her with the brightest smile that could light up a room. "My feelings for you will never be fake."

And Kanan proved that time and time again. She understood that Ruby had bad anxiety that made her nervous around a lot of things. People would think Ruby was overreacting, but Kanan had known her since they were born. She knew the things she had to say and the things she needed to do to make her girlfriend feel better. She knew how to calm her fears from taking over her mind and how to make her smile at her again.

"It's okay to tell me how you feel, okay Ruby?" Kanan smiled, kissing away the tears from the smaller girl's cheeks as she pulled her into her lap and hugged her tight. She knew how much Ruby loved to be held in her strong arms and rest her head against her chest so she could listen to the soothing melody of Kanan's heartbeat. "I'll always do my best to make you feel better."

Ruby couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl to have someone who loved her like this. Someone who was so strong, where she was not. It was inspiring and only made Ruby fall more and more in love with her as the weeks turned into months and months turned into years. She wanted to be strong for Kanan too.

By the time Kanan was in her first year of high school, their first year anniversary has long passed and they were almost through their second year together as a couple. Despite other people complaining that junior high/ high school relationships being difficult, Ruby and Kanan never had trouble. Of course they couldn't see each other 24/7 like they used to when they were in the same school, but they still saw each other almost everyday. After school Kanan would walk home with Dia and Mari and meet Ruby and Hanamaru at the Kurosawa's estate. That's when they would all catch up on their day. Kanan and Ruby would have time to be cutesy with each other while they all did their homework in the large living room before everyone headed home for the night. Of course Kanan would make sure to give Ruby a kiss goodnight before heading home, a happy grin on her face.

"I love you, Ruby." She would tell her and Ruby would respond back with an "I love you too, Kanan."

For a long time, every thing was good. At least that's what she thought.

It took her a while to pick up on it. Actually it was her sister that made her realize something was wrong.

There was something heavy in the atmosphere whenever Ruby was around any of the older girls. She figured that they were just being stupid again. Having been best friends for as long as they've been didn't make them amune to fights. She remembered when the three of them got into a really bad fight with each other when they were seven over a stupid game.

"You cheated! There's no way you could've won with that card!" Dia yelled at her, face all red and cheeks puffed up.

"You just can't admit that I'm better than you at this game!" Kanan huffed back and threw the cards on the floor.

"H-hey! Don't ruin my cards! Those are my favorite..." Mari whined with tears in her eyes as she tried to clean up her stuff before the other girls could fight and step over it.

The three of them didn't talk for weeks, but they ended up apologizing and making up for it. This happened quite a few times over their friendship. Every time, Ruby never intervened unless they forced her in the middle, so why should she bother this time around? Whatever it was would go away.

But it didn't.

Dia's smiles were fake, but Ruby would tell she had been crying. Her eyes were puffy and red despite Dia's attempt to cover it up with some eye make-up. Dia was her sister. It didn't matter what she did to hide her feelings. Ruby would find out one way or another.

After that she noticed that Kanan was also still acting strange too. The same routine of coming over to her house continued. Every smile, every hug, every kiss good night, every I love you-- it was the same as it's always been, so why should she worry?

"Baby, is everything alright?" Ruby finally managed to ask one day while she was curled up in Kanan's lap. They had finished their homework early and decided to watch a movie in the living room.

Kanan looked at Ruby a bit confused before leaning forward kissing her cheek. "Of course. Everything is perfect."

Ruby frowned a little at the response. It was a lie. There were bags under Kanan's eyelids and the grip she had around her waist was weak. It was obvious that Kanan was tired, as if she needed some more sleep.

"Where is Mari-chan? I miss her." Ruby tried again, trying to get it out of Kanan. She had asked Dia about it, but her sister said she didn't know. So she tried texting Mari only too be told that she was just busy. "She hasn't stopped by in a while."

"Mari..?" It sounded like it pained Kanan to say that name and Ruby knew she hit the jackpot. Kanan tried to laugh it off, faking a smile and nuzzling at Ruby's neck. "Who knows what that rich girl is up to! Maybe she's plotting a big prank again."

Ruby wasn't satisfied with this answer but she decided against pushing it too much today. "Wouldn't that be funny. Bet whatever it is will piss off Oneechan."

Kanan didn't comment again so that was the end of that conversation. The older girl just held Ruby tighter and nuzzled against her shoulder, assumingly watching the movie.

* * *

 

Ruby didn't ask again, still hoping that whatever the three best friends were going through would go away-- but it wasn't the problem that went away. It was Mari.

No one told her what was going on. No one bothered to include her. All she got were the fake smiles and the fake "I'm fine"s.

She only found out what had happened after the blonde had been gone for over two weeks. When she has asked why Mari hadn't visited at all during that time, both girls had lied to her.

"She's busy with family stuff." Kanan had told her.

"I don't know." Dia had said on another day. "She's just busy."

The only reason she found out Mari was gone was because she had heard Dia crying one night and walked into her room. Her sister broke down and told her everything that had happened. Everything from the time she and Kanan had found out about Mari's possible transfer to study aborad, to the fights she and Kanan had on what they were going to do about it.

Ruby did her best to comfort Dia as she sobbed onto her chest, staining her clean pajamas in tears. She's never seen her sister this upset about anything before. At least this explained why everyone was acting weird the past few months.

The next day Ruby met Kanan at school. It surprised Kanan when she got a text from Ruby saying she would meet her at the high school instead of at the house. She figured that Ruby's classes had ended early for the day and maybe she had a surprise for her. Something sweet just like her girlfriend always was.

She wasn't prepared however for what Ruby really wanted to talk about.

"Quit the fake smiling, Kanan." The redhead was frowning at her with a look of seriousness that Kanan rarely ever saw. The bright smile Kanan had when she saw her girlfriend approaching was quickly replaced by fear. Did she do something to make Ruby angry?

"Huh? B-babe what's wrong?"

"You didn't tell me... I knew something was going on all this time..." Ruby had her arms crossed over her chest as she talked. "Mari is gone."

"Ruby..." Kanan walked forward, arms open so she could give her a hug, but Ruby moved away. The older girl looked at her in surprise, an upset look on her face making her look like a kicked puppy. Ruby didn't want her hug?

"Why didn't you talk to me? Why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

"I.. I didn't want you to worry about it." Kanan tried to explain.

"I'm not a little kid any more." She huffed at her. It hurt her to act like this towards Kanan, but she couldn't just brush it off like she always did. "I could have handle it."

"I know... I'm sorry."

"You should have told me if you were sad."

"I was fine--"

"No. You were not." Ruby was trying to hard to keep her voice leveled. She was already choking on her tears. "You can't hide it for me. I've noticed something was wrong f-for months... You keep faking smiles and laughs around me! Stop acting like you're happy when you're not."

"B-but Ruby. It wasn't fake." Kanan had tears in her eyes too. She really wanted to hug Ruby, but she didn't want to get pushed away again. "Yes I was upset at everything going on, but you were the one thing that still made me happy during that... I didn't wanna ruin our time together by being sad and crying.."

"Kanan... It's okay if you're not happy all the time. You're not going to ruin anything... It's okay to tell me how you feel." Ruby reached up to cup Kanan's cheek, wiping away the tears with her thumb. "You don't need to fake it around me... You're not just my girlfriend-- You've been my family since we were little. I wanna be here for you like you always are for me. I can't do that if you don't tell me what you need."

Kanan nodded, nuzzling into Ruby's hand. She supposed she had been holding everything in so much, trying to be strong for Ruby, but it seemed like Ruby was plenty strong for both of them too. "I want you to hug me... Please?"

Ruby smiled and pulled Kanan in for a hug. She kissed the top of her head as she allowed Kanan to cry into her chest. The older girl was shaking, finally letting out all the stress she's been holding in all this time. "Shhh it's okay. I'll always do my best to make you feel better."

Kanan couldn't help but smile. "Hey you're stealing my lines!"

"Well they are good lines to steal!" Ruby giggled and snuggled her face into the blue locks. She tightened her grip around Kanan and hummed a soft tune. It made her happy to know she could be the strong for Kanan now too.

**Author's Note:**

> I had several ideas for this. I went with the least depressing one.


End file.
